The Indonesian government has officially launched a strategic initiative to integrate Tourism Awareness Groups (Pokdarwis) with village cooperatives. This step was taken as a concrete effort to strengthen the local tourism value chain while serving as an economic engine at the village level.
Minister of Tourism, Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, emphasized that the synergy between these two grassroots institutions aims to create more structured tourism governance. Pokdarwis focuses on developing attractions and destinations, while cooperatives serve as infrastructure supporters and transparent financial managers.
Responding to the policy, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stated the importance of technological support in this ecosystem. According to him, the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) and data intelligence will be a crucial key to operational effectiveness in the field, ranging from analyzing tourist preferences to dynamically optimizing tour package prices.
To date, rural tourism management is still frequently hindered by limited market access and manual financial management. This integration is expected to bridge that gap, enabling villages to not only showcase their natural beauty but also sustainably increase community income.
Despite the significant economic potential, the government acknowledges existing challenges, such as uneven digital literacy and limited internet infrastructure in remote areas. Therefore, innovative funding schemes such as blended finance and continuous training are part of the government's grand plan to ensure that the digitalization of tourism villages hits the mark.
